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Category: Sunday Homlies

  • The Powerless King on the Cross

    The Powerless King on the Cross

    Solemnity of Christ the King – November 24, 2019

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (23:35-43)

    The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
    “He saved others, let him save himself
    if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” 
    Even the soldiers jeered at him. 
    As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
    “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” 
    Above him there was an inscription that read,
    “This is the King of the Jews.”

    Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
    “Are you not the Christ?
    Save yourself and us.” 
    The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
    “Have you no fear of God,
    for you are subject to the same condemnation?
    And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
    for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
    but this man has done nothing criminal.”
    Then he said,
    “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
    He replied to him,
    “Amen, I say to you,
    today you will be with me in Paradise.”

    Homily

    How would you imagine a king?

    Being influenced by cartoons, anime and movies, I would imagine a king who wears a golden crown, covered in a golden robe, sitting on a golden throne and living in a golden palace. A king is a powerful man who has thousands of armies, who conquered many nations and defeated countless enemies through bloody wars. He is untouchable – and commoners, slaves and servants cannot talk to him directly. His throne is too far from the ordinary people.

    This is not far from how we imagine Jesus Christ our King. Influenced by the western culture we also imagine Christ the king who wears a golden crown, wrapped in a golden robe and sits on a golden throne. This image, for me, seems to be a distant king who does not know the daily affairs of his people. A king who merely shows greatness, triumph and wealth.

    However, the Gospel that we have heard today speaks nothing of this kind of king. What we have is a vulnerable king, powerless and crucified on the cross. This is Jesus’ statement that he is not an earthly king who only shows grandeur, control and domination over his subjects. He is a king who became like us, who lived with us and journeyed with us in every story of our life especially in those difficult and dark moments.

    He is not an unreachable king sitting there on the high throne but he is a God-with-us (Emmanuel). He is a king who knows us and our deepest secrets and desires. But he is a king who does not control and imposes himself on us. He only calls and invites us to come to him.

    Jesus’ determination to call us and to gather us brought him into that situation. Despite the danger and of the suffering he would endure, as king, he is always ready to take the risk to offer his life for our sake, that we may experience freedom and healing. We find his invitation through the three different people in the Gospel and their individual response to Jesus. So, let us look at them.

    First, the people like the Jewish authorities and the soldiers. They refused to recognize Jesus as King and Messiah because he was a threat to them, a threat to their comfort, and threat to their earthly power. It was a decision they have made despite the invitations of Jesus for them to believe in Him.

    Second, one of the criminals who insulted Jesus. He was actually confused and did not make any stand. He was lukewarm. He neither condemned Jesus nor accepted him as Lord, King and Redeemer. Despite the closeness of God in him on the cross, he did not recognize God in Jesus because he was still full of himself. He was unrepentant.

    Third was the other man on the cross. He was the one who recognized God in Jesus and decided to accept Jesus as his Lord. This made him say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Being powerless on that cross, he was able to recognize the face of the Lord, his king. This person felt a God who has accompanied him in his suffering and even towards death. Through his very suffering, he found God to be so close to him.

    This tells us now of a king who is close to us. Jesus is not a king who is distant from our sufferings and fears but a king who patiently and lovingly walks with us. God, indeed, meets us where we are and he is ready to bend down in order to encounter us there in the saddest and darkest part of our life.

    Yet, let us also remember that Jesus requires our participation. To every person Jesus met, he gave them the chance to recognize him but the hardness of their hearts and because of their arrogance, they refused to see Jesus. But with this other man on the cross, owning his sins and failures in life brought him into that realization that he was in need of God. Meaning, when we humbly recognize our weaknesses and sins we also recognize God’s love for us. This becomes, then, an opportunity for God to transform our life.

    Thus, on this great feast of Christ our King, let us also own and recognize our failures and sins. This calls us not to be afraid because Christ will never condemn us to death. He already took it upon himself for us. What he wants is that we will enjoy his presence in paradise. 

    And as Jesus identified himself with the suffering, with the dying, with the condemned, let us also expand our image of Christ the King. Let us encounter and recognize Jesus through the sick old person abandoned by his family, or those who have been affected by calamities, or a rejected and broken daughter or son who succumbed to drug and alcohol addiction, or to an abused spouse, or to a street family who are displaced or to a friend who suffers depression, or a classmate who is being bullied. Take time to meet those who might need our help in ways that we can do. And hopefully, that encounter will bring us into the experience of meeting Christ the King through others. Hinuat pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Are you Jesus? – Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ, the King

    Are you Jesus? – Reflection on the Solemnity of Christ, the King

    Reflection shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR (Filipino Missionary in South Korea)

    In a rather busy and crowded bus terminal in Manila, a PWD (person with disability) foreigner was found trying to find his way, hoping to catch his bus. While sitting and waiting for his bus, a young OFW (overseas Filipino worker) saw and sensed the PWD foreigner’s confusion, came and approached the foreigner, and said, “May I have of some assistance, Sir?” “O, Thanks. I’ve been trying to find my way, hoping I would not miss my 9am bus to Baguio”. The OFW replied, “No worry, Sir. I’m on the same trip. We could come together.” Gladly the foreigner sat with him, waiting for their bus. As the bus arrived, the OFW helped the PWD to his seat, and then bids farewell to find his own seat. Suddenly the PWD said to the OFW, “Many thanks, Man. Are you Jesus?”

    Christmas proclaims in the gospel of St. John: “The word became flesh and live with us. He was in the world and the world came to be through Him…But the world did not know Him … and his people did not accept Him.” Although Christianity is universal, world-wide, international and multicultural, we cannot deny that our Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in, is still unknown and unaccepted in the world. Others may have heard and seen about Jesus from others, but most of us have not meet and experienced Jesus personally. And most of us are, even in faith still longing and searching for Jesus intimately. In others words, in our disabilities and being foreigner/migrant to discover God’s life, we are still finding our ways to wander “Are you Jesus? Is this Jesus?” – hoping to catch a glimpse of God through Jesus, God’s word who lives with us in our daily lives.

    On this last Sunday of liturgical year, today we honor Christ the King. We celebrate the Kingship of Jesus Christ, confirming of His reign, presence and rule in our lives today. However, His Kingship is best portrayed to us, not Him in some precious throne and with pearly crown, but Him hanging on a cross wearing a crown of thorns and among criminals.

    As our gospel today shows us, while even on the hour of his death, Our Lord and King Jesus still speaking and sharing words of hope and compassion to all those who come near Him. His reign, presence and rule in our life is thus best revealed to us by His continuing sharing and spreading of God’s good News of love, mercy, hope, compassion & faith to our world in the story of His life, mission, suffering, death, resurrection and glory.

    Meaning, whenever and everytime we experience in our life love, kindness, mercy, compassion, kindness hope and faith, shown by us both as receiver – like the PWD, and as giver – like the OFW, God’s grace – along with the kingship of Jesus, is with us and in our midst. As a church song proclaims, “they will know we are Christians by our love”. By our experience of love and of loving in life, we and others may come to know that “we are of Christ”, “we are of Jesus”. Thus, God’s word and kingdom is with us; and our Lord and King Jesus life, mission, and reign live with us, as we still always experience in life love, hope, compassion and faith.

    Now, to always discover the Emmanuel, God amongst us, and also to be “of Jesus, of Christ” personally in our life and world today, as PCP II suggests, the challenge for us Catholics, especially Filipino Catholics, is to retell (tell again & again) the Jesus story to ourselves so that we can tell him to others. In other words, Kilalalin natin muli at lagi si Jesus sa ating sarili, upang atin siyang maipakilala sa mundo. 

    Preach and proclaim Jesus to yourself so that you can share Him to others. Be personal with Jesus so that in you and through you, He can and will also be personal to others.  In other words, Represent Jesus (present him again) to oneself, so that He will be also present to others who are longing for Him in life.

    Lord, even in our faith, we also are wandering “are you or is this Jesus?” – still longing and searching to discover you in our lives. As you have revealed to us, may our experience of love and loving you and others in life,  allow us to retell your story, and let others tell your story to ourselves, so that we can tell and share You, as well as to “be Jesus” to others who also searching and wanting to be near and personal with you.  Amen.

  • Is there life before death?

    Is there life before death?

    November 17, 2019 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Reading: Mal 3:19-20a; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19

    Homily shared by Fr. Mar Masangcay, CSsR ( a Filipino Redemptorist Missionary in South Korea)

    Whenever death & disasters happen in our lives, we cannot help but raise the question about the end-time or the end of the world. Ever-present war, famine, pestilence, super typhoons, tsunamis, hunger, earthquakes, flooding, landslides, and countless death-crimes in life render us anxious and helpless towards our coming future. Our worries about the coming end-times are not only felt around us but also within us. We are not ignorant as to how it felt when our world seems have broken and ended whenever we experience heartache as to the death and loss of our loved ones, or failed in our studies, business endeavors, plans and dreams, or diagnose with serious illness and others. Even worse, the Scripture and Jesus himself warns us of these coming end-times as inevitable and surely to happen to our human life.  

    Related with our uncertainty about end-time are the questions: 

    “What’s the point? What’s the meaning of all these life-endeavors? Is there hope in life?”

    And above all, at the very heart it raises the question:

    “What now and then? Is there Life AFTER Death?”

    A wise man once said: 

    “The question should not be: ‘Is there life after death’ but rather ‘Is there life BEFORE death’? 

    True enough, while life-disasters and death surely to happen in life, we should concern ourselves less about what happen to us after life, but rather to be more concerned about how we live our life before our inevitable death. Regardless whether there is life after death or not, we should never forget the fact that there is life before death that we are in now. If we come to think of it, we are now here alive for a reason and purpose to be in this world. It is for us now, as we live this life, to discover and fulfill in life our real reason and purpose to be and live. Our task and concern in life is to live our life now before death to the fullness of our very life-purpose. 

    Life Before Death would also mean that the greatest loss in life is not death, but what dies inside us while we live. Sadly there are people nowadays who have reasons to die than to live, and people who are still alive but dying and already died inside. Though painful, confusing and disheartening, our experiences of disasters and loss should move us still alive to deeply discover and enable the very reason and meaning of our life-existence. For Jesus, life-death and disasters are not only about end-times or world’s end, but more so about the opportunity for us to testify, that is, to rise to the occasion, and stand up and witness in life our faith in God through Him, and to live-up to our very life-purpose and reason in life.  In other words, Jesus is saying to us, that these things will surely happen to us, but with a reason and for a purpose. So, we should consider more our life now before death, rather than our life after death. 

    Practical advice to ponder, whenever disaster strikes and happens in life is thus ask not, “Why is this happening TO me?” but rather, “why is this happening FOR me?” Asking, “why is this happening TO me?” leads to unhealthy self-doubt, blame, guilt, anger, and inner death. Asking “why is this happening FOR me?” leads to meaning, purpose, challenge, responsibility, and resolution. 

    As we grapple then with the concern about our experience of death & disasters in life, ask not: “Is there life after death?” “Why is this happening to me?” but rather ask, “Is there life before death?” “Why is this happening for me?”. So that, we may be more grounded to live our lives by its very reason, meaning and purpose, as well as to be a living testimony and witness of our Christian faith, and God’s grace to the world.

    May the Lord lead us to fullness of life. Amen. 

  • The Coming of Jesus will be Most Wonderful and Joyful Time

    The Coming of Jesus will be Most Wonderful and Joyful Time

    November 17, 2019 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    A reading from the Book of Prophet Malachi (3:19-20a)

    Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
     when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
     and the day that is coming will set them on fire,
     leaving them neither root nor branch,
     says the LORD of hosts.
     But for you who fear my name, there will arise
     the sun of justice with its healing rays.

    A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians (3:7-12)

    Brothers and sisters:
    You know how one must imitate us.
    For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
    nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
    On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
    we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
    Not that we do not have the right.
    Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
    so that you might imitate us.
    In fact, when we were with you,
    we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
    neither should that one eat.
    We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a
    disorderly way,
    by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
    Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
    and to eat their own food.

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (21:5-19)

    While some people were speaking about
    how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
    Jesus said, “All that you see here–
    the days will come when there will not be left
    a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

    Then they asked him,
    “Teacher, when will this happen?
    And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
    He answered,
    “See that you not be deceived,
    for many will come in my name, saying,
    ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
    Do not follow them!
    When you hear of wars and insurrections,
    do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
    but it will not immediately be the end.”
    Then he said to them,
    “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
    There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
    from place to place;
    and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.

    “Before all this happens, however,
    they will seize and persecute you,
    they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
    and they will have you led before kings and governors
    because of my name.
    It will lead to your giving testimony.
    Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
    for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
    that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
    You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
    and they will put some of you to death.
    You will be hated by all because of my name,
    but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
    By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

    Homily

    How would you imagine the end of time? I asked this question to some of our staff here in our Parish. Many of them expressed their fear of the end of time and imagined the destruction of the world. Calamities and unimaginable tragedies will occur. There will be fire, typhoons, tsunamis and earthquakes. There will be great suffering, pain and death. 

    Our readings this Sunday seemed to have the same horrifying images also. The first reading from the Book of Prophet Malachi prophesied about the destruction of the evildoers. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus described the signs that will come like the powerful earthquakes, famines, plagues, wars, and persecutions.

    However, does the end of time really mean to be deadly and terrifying for all of us?

    Let us see closely the prophesy of Prophet Malachi and the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke .

    The prophecy from Book of Prophet Malachi was addressed to all the Israelites who have returned from exile. However, at their return the prophet saw how the leaders of the Jewish community had become corrupt, abusive and indifferent to the common people.

    Those words of destruction and death are meant for those who continually reject God and oppressed His people. Yet, the prophecy is also a hopeful promise to end the evil institution and end of corruption and death. And for those who remained faithful and in friendship with God, the words of Malachi meant comfort and strength, for to them, the Lord will come to bring healing.

    And this will be the most wonderful and joyful time.

    In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus warns us of those who pretend to be god and not to follow them because they only lead us to death and not to life. Jesus also reminds us of the sufferings in life that may come but he comforts us not to be terrified and to be afraid. Jesus promises us with his presence abiding in us. He will never leave us alone. Jesus will walk with us and accompany us. 

    Moreover, at the fulfillment of time, Jesus will be with us in person with his power and glory. And when he comes, Jesus will gather His people who believed in him and trusted him even in difficult times. His coming will be the end of the corrupt and the murderers. It will be a destruction of the powerful and arrogant.

    Now, the beautiful message lies here.  The message of comfort and strength, of joy and peace is for us who are waiting patiently for the end of time. This is what St. Paul tells us.

    Thus, for us who believe in Jesus, the end of time is not something that we should be afraid. It is not a terrifying event but it will be the most joyful moment of our life. Meeting the Lord is a moment of fulfillment of all our hopes, desires and dreams.

    However, it will surely be a destruction to what is evil. It will be the most terrifying moment for those who continually reject God and for those who pretend and act like a god.

    With all of these, what can we do then, as we patiently wait for the second coming of Jesus?

    God in His generosity and love prepares us daily for that wonderful moment of our life. God prepares us by making Himself felt daily and in every moment and event in our life. Jesus reveals himself in us and through us. Indeed, Jesus’ words will not pass away, his promises will never fade. God is faithful and He is ever present with us. That is why, it is very important that we become discerning and welcoming of Jesus’ presence being revealed in us and around us.

    How do we do it then? Our prayers as constant communication with God, both individually and as a community, will help us to make ourselves open to God. When we pray, we also allow God to transform us and transform the way we look at things, the way we judge things and people and our way of relating with others. Thus, the effect of constant talking and listening to God forms us to be more aware of His presence in our life.

     This calls us to recognize God in everyone and in everything. What would be its consequence now? 

    When we grow tired from praying because our dreams and desires were not granted, remember, that God never grows tired in making Himself known to us. God also reveals himself in moments of failures and defeats. 

    When we become confused and doubtful of our faith, remember that God never surrenders on us. God makes himself known even in moments of our pain and suffering. When we feel that we are surrounded by evil, corruption and deaths, remember that God brings justice and makes himself bright even in the darkest part of our lives as Christians and members of our community. 

     As we are about to end the liturgical calendar and begin the Season of Advent in few weeks’ time, let us make this week more wonderful and exciting.

    Let us intensify our “Wi-Fi connection” with God, by making our prayer frequent and sincere.

    Hopefully, this will lead each of us to see and feel the face of God among ourselves and even among those people who are not familiar to us and events that may be surprising and strange for us. In this way, we hope that we too will grow in our faith and become more excited in the end of time where we will surely meet the Lord, who is the fulfillment of all our dreams and hopes. Hinuat pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • To be wise is to be a friend of God

    To be wise is to be a friend of God

    November 14, 2019 – Thursday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

    A reading from the Book of Wisdom (7:22b-8:1)

    In Wisdom is a spirit
    intelligent, holy, unique,
    Manifold, subtle, agile,
    clear, unstained, certain,
    Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
    unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
    Firm, secure, tranquil,
    all-powerful, all-seeing,
    And pervading all spirits,
    though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
    For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
    and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
    For she is an aura of the might of God
    and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
    therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
    For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
    the spotless mirror of the power of God,
    the image of his goodness.
    And she, who is one, can do all things,
    and renews everything while herself perduring;
    And passing into holy souls from age to age,
    she produces friends of God and prophets.
    For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
    For she is fairer than the sun
    and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
    Compared to light, she takes precedence;
    for that, indeed, night supplants,
    but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.

    Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily
    and governs all things well.

    A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (17:20-25)

    Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
    Jesus said in reply,
    “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
    and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
    For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

    Then he said to his disciples,
    “The days will come when you will long to see
    one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
    There will be those who will say to you,
    ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
    Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
    For just as lightning flashes
    and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
    so will the Son of Man be in his day.
    But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

    Homily

    Alexander Pope, a poet, once said, “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” Why is that? A person wo has little knowledge of something can pretend to be more intelligent than the rest. A little knowledge then, can intoxicate a person thinking that what he/she has is already everything. Thus, knowledgeable person is not necessarily wise. 

    However, this is different with having a little wisdom, now matter how little, wisdom makes a person understanding and knowledgeable. Wisdom, indeed, is always good and is directed and attracted towards the good. Wisdom would never succumb to what is evil, corrupt and not of God.

    These are the beautiful descriptions of Wisdom that we have heard from the first reading today. Wisdom is even described as the aura of the might of God, the spotless mirror of the power of God and the image of His goodness. This tells us that wisdom also helps us in discerning the presence of God among us.

    The Gospel tells us about the question of the Pharisees on the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus warns them and also us today not to look outside to search of the kingdom of God or to be deceived by people who claim to be god and to be Jesus. The kingdom of God, as Jesus affirms, is among us brothers and sisters. Thus, the presence of God can be felt and can be found in the very presence of our community.

    We can only discern this once we also learn the ways of wisdom. Wisdom cannot be achieved through diplomas, certificates or earned by any master’s and doctoral degrees. Wisdom is a gift given to us through our life experiences, through the relationships we have built with others and with God. Wisdom, therefore, allows us to recognize God in the presence of our brothers and sisters and in all of God’s creation that surrounds us because wisdom does not discriminate. Certainly, to be wise makes us closer to God because we become friends of God.

    Recognizing God in everything is a manifestation that the kingdom of God is being unfolded in our lives that is why Jesus said, the kingdom of God is among you because God is truly with us, in each of us and in everything. 

    Hence, today let us ask God for the gift of wisdom, to make us wise so that we may be able to recognize his face and his plans for us in our daily lives. Seek for it and desire for it. The wisdom of God will be more willing to dwell in us as we make ourselves open and welcoming to God’s presence. Hinaut pa. 

    Jom Baring, CSsR